Peru Indie Travel Guide

Why you should add Peru to your Indie/RTW trip

Everyone knows Machu Picchu and the other Incan ruins, many of you probably have pictures of yourself standing in front of them (or dream of having them). Peru is home to some of the most famously traveled sights in the world, but there's so much more to Peru than Machu Picchu and the ruins that accompany them.

If you haven't seen Machu Pichu, by all means take the time to go. It's easily the most popular and best tourist attraction in Peru.

The food in Peru is quickly gaining recognition as some of the best in the world, and with good reason.

Though the sites are amazing and Peru draws a lot of tourists each year, the prices still remain very low. It's still possible to travel here on $30USD per day.

Getting around by bus is cheap and easy, and the comfort level is much higher than one might think. The windy mountain roads aren't for the faint of heart, but if you go with a nice bus company, you will have fully reclining seats and can sleep right through the scary parts.

Indie travel tips for Peru

If you like hiking and want to visit Machu Picchu, look into the various treks offered - the Classic Inca Trail is the most popular, but there are a plethora of alternative treks that are less traveled and much cheaper.

The other blue-chip tourist destination in Peru is the city of Cuzco, your home base for a trip to Machu Picchu. A UNESCO world heritage sight, the city is a place to be treasured and explored slowly over the course of several days if you have the time.

Head south to Arequipa, known as the white city, and make it your home base for exploring Colca Canyon, the second deepest canyon in the world.

Don't just jet in and out of Lima - this city is wildly underrated and has some of the best cuisine not only in South America, but the entire world.

Transportation

The popularity of Peru and its top-tier attractions has brought many airlines to offer flights to Peru. Many major airports in North America offer non-stop flights to the international airport in Lima, including Los Angeles, which shuttles in most of the air passenger traffic from Asia.

Accommodations

Hostels are equally inexpensive, but in Peru the definition of a hostel varies from a typical backpacker hut, to a pay-by-the-hour room for lovers.